Ball delivery apparatus



y 1 w. s. MILLER 3,185,475

BALL DELIVERY APPARATUS Filed March 27, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVHVTOR. WENDELL SM/LLE ATTQRN EY y 1965 w. s. MILLER 3,185,475

BALL DELIVERY APPARATUS Filed March 27, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. WENDELL .5. M/LLEQ ATTORH EV United States Patent BALL DELIVERY APPARATUS Wendell S. Miller, 1341 Comstock Ave., Los Angeles, Calif.

Filed Mar. 27, 1962, Ser. No. 182,903 8 Claims. (Cl. 273-49) This invention relates to improved apparatus for delivering a ball to a desired location, and particularly adapted in certain respects for use as bowling ball return apparatus.

The ball return apparatus conventionally used in bowling equipment consists merely of a track structure along which the ball may roll toward the bowling location, and

' having a downwardly inclined initial portion at the beginning of the track to initially accelerate the ball by gravity. In use, such gravity actuated ball delivery apparatus has certain decided disadvantages. For one thing, the ball usually can not be accelerated by gravity alone as rapidly as would be desired, or to as high a speed as would be desired, and consequently the gravity return process necessarily Wastesa considerable amount of time. Further, in gravity accelerated equipment, it is normally necessary to provide an elevator mechanism for first lifting the ball to an elevated location, at the beginning of the acceleration slope, and additional time is therefore lost in this portion of the return process. Overall, the return period is so extended that the bowler must usually wait a substantial period of time for the ball sothat the bowling of a line or game is much slower than if it were not for the inefficiency in the ball returning operation.

A major object of the present inventionis to provide apparatus which is capable of delivering a ball to a predetermined location much more rapidly and effectively than is possible with conventional bowling ball return equipment. In apparatus of the invention, the ball is accelerated very rapidly by mechanical means to a high rate of speed, and travels at that relatively high rate of speed along the delivery track to the bowling position. Certain features of novelty of the invention reside in a unique manner of accelerating the ball rapidly from an almost stopped position to the desired high rate of travel, while at the same time doing this in a manner such that no part or parts of the apparatus act against the ball in a damaging manner. As willbe apparent, any slight damage which might occur to the surface of the ball as a result of engagement with the ball returning apparatus could adversely affect the manner in which the ball rolls along the alley inruse, and therefore is to be avoided at all cost. The apparatus accelerates the ball rapidly but in a unique progressive manner, by engagement of the ball with driving means which contact the ball in a rolling type of engagement, with the point of engagement between the ball and drive means shifting progressively in a manner varying the relationship between the rate at which the ball turns about its individual axis relative to the drive means and the rate at which the ball shifts bodily or undergoes translational movement along the supporting track. Preferably,'the ball has a similar type of progressively changing contact with the track structure along which the ball rolls, to vary the relative rates of spinning and translational movement of the ball along y As the belts subsequently engage the ball at points which progressively advance downwardly along the sides of the ball, toward the horizontal axis about which the ball is turning, the same rate of powered belt advancement acts to turn the ball much more rapidly about its axis, and therefore tends to produce much more rapid bodily or translational movement of the ball along the track structure. Thus, the discussed belt drive system serves to attain the desired gradual acceleration of the ball, without in fact changing the rate of movement of the drive belts themselves.

A similar effect is utilized for converting some of the rotational momentum of the ball to translational momentum after the ball has been partially or wholly accelerated. For this purpose, the track structure engages the underside of the ball at two points which may initially be located relatively high on the sides of the ball, and near the horizontal rolling axis of the ball, so that the ball must turn about its own axis relatively fast for a given amount of translational advancement of the ball along the track structure. As the ball continues to roll along the track, the two portions of the track which engage the underside of the ball may progressively converge together, to engage the ball more at its underside, and at locations spaced farther beneath the horizontal rolling axis of the ball, so that the ball advances a greater distance along the track for a given number of turns about its horizontal axis, with the overall results of thereby converting some of the rotational momentum of the ball to translational momentum or movement, and in this way further accelerating the rate at which the ball moves along the track.

The above and other features and objects of the present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of the typical embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a bowling alley having a ball return system constructed in accordance with the invention;

. FIG. 2 is a side view of the alley of FIG. 1, taken primarily on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on line 33 of FIG. 2, and showing a ball in position at this location;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but taken on the line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on lines 5-5 of FIG. 2;

. FIG. 6 is a transverse vertical section taken 6-6 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary section taken on line 77 of FIG. 1;

. FIG. 8 is a perspective view, partially broken away, representing the ball accelerating belts and associated portions of the apparatus; and 7 FIG. 9 is a view representing the configuration of the ball tracks beneath and directly beyond the drive belts.

In FIG. 1, I have represented at 10 a conventional bowling alley having the pins 11 located at its left end, as viewed in that figure. The bowling ball is of course delivered along alley 10 from the right end of the alley, as, viewed in FIG. 1, and ultimately strikes a rear wall or barrier typically represented at 12. The usual gutters 13 and 14 are of course provided along opposite sides of the alley, and the alley may in other respects be considered as completely conventional except with regard to the manner of construction and operation of the ball return apparatus 15, with which the present invention is particularly concerned. This apparatus 15 receives the ball from the rear end of the alley, at the location designated 16 in FIG. 1, and rapidly returns that ball along track structure 17 of the ball return mechanism on line .4 to a location 118 adjacent theposition of the bowler.

After the ball strikes and is stopped by the rear barrier or wall 12 at the back of the alley, the ball rolls along a rear floor surface 18 to the location 16 at which return apparatus picks it up. Any conventional means may be provided for moving the ball along surface 18 to the location 16, since this portion of the apparatus is not unique with the present invention. For simplicity of illustration, the surface 18 is merely represented at a sloping floor surface or bottom wall, which slopes in two directions in a manner such that any ball falling on surface 18 tends to roll in the manner represented by arrow 19 toward location 16. More particularly, as seen in FIG. 8, this surface 18 may slope downwardly as it advances rearwardly toward back wall or barrier 12 of the alley, and as seen in FIG. 7 may also slope to the left side of the alley, so that the ball necessarily rolls toward point 16. At the left side of the floor surface 18, there may be a vertical wall 2%, having an opening or passage way 21 dimensioned to pass the ball 22 through this aperture and onto the rear end portion of track structure 17 at location 16.

In actual practice, instead of the sloping floor surface 18, there is usually provided a conveyer mechanism acting to positively roll the ball toward a pick-up location such as that designated 16 in FIG. 1. Further, some means are also provided for removing pins 11 from the rear portion of the alley and from surface 18 after a ball has been rolled. This mechanism for removing the pins is capable of sorting the pins from the ball, and picking up only the pins, while leaving only the ball to roll to the location 16. In view of the fact that the present invention is concerned primarily with the structure of the ball return mechanism 15, no attempt has been made to illustrate the pin pick-up or sorting apparatus.

The track structure 17 along which the ball 22 rolls in advancing from location 16 to delivery location 118 extends along one side of the alley 10, parallel to the longitudinal axis of the alley. Structure 17 forms along its upper surface two spaced generally parallel ball engaging tracks 23, which engage the underside of ball 22 at opposite sides of its vertical central plane 24, in a manner such that, as seen in FIGS. 3 through 6, a portion of the ball projects downwardly between the two tracks, to thereby confine the ball for rolling movement along the tracks. The structure 17 is appropriately recessed at 25 to avoid contact with the ball except at the location of the two tracks 23.

As the track structure advances from the ball pick up location 16 to the delivery location 118, the lateral spacing between the two tracks or ball supporting ridges 23 varies. At the location 16, this horizontal transverse spacing between the two tracks 23 is the width dimension A of FIG. 3, which dimension is almost as great as the diameter D of ball 22. Thus, tracks 23 at this point engage the ball at a point relatively near to the horizontal axis 26 about which the ball rolls, so that the eflective rolling radius of the ball is the small radius designated 27 in FIG. 3. This small rolling radius 27, corresponding to the vertical spacing between the points of engagement of the ball with tracks 23, and the horizontal rolling axis 26, is preferably of a length equal to not more than about one-third of the radius R of the ball.

From the pick-up location 16, the two tracks 23 con tinue at the relatively wide lateral spacing A of FIG. 3, and are therefore parallel, until the tracks reach the location of the transverse plane designated 28 in FIGS. 1 and 10. Forwardly beyond this plane 28, the two tracks 23 progressively converge horizontally toward one another, to the plane designated 2? in FIGS. 1 and 9, at which plane tracks 23 have the reduced lateral spacing represented at B in FIG. 5. When the tracks are thus spaced relatively close together, they engage the ball at locations which are farther down along the sides of the ball, so that the effective rolling radius 30 of the ball is then much greater than radius 27 of FIG. 3.

Tracks 23 may continue at the narrow spacing of FIG. 5 from the location of plane 29 to the end stop 34. Pref erably, the FIG. 5 narrow spacing continues through at least about one-half of the entire length of the track structure 17. Near location 118, the tracks may advance upwardly at 32 to form a hill acting to slow down the ball, and then extend horizontally at 33 to the location of end stop 34. A conventional retarder 31 may be provided near hill 32, to further slow the ball for pick-up by a bowler.

The ball is power driven forwardly along tracks 23 by two endless motor operated drive belts 36 and 37: extending above track structure 17 between planes 3 -.v' and 44 of FIG. 2. Each of these belts extends at its rear end about a first mounting roller 38, and at its forward end about a second mounting roller 39. The for ward rollers 33 engage the belts frictionally in a manner driving the belts along their endless paths, while rear rollers 38 are idlers acting to turn in correspondence with the belts. The belts advance in a direction such that their ball engaging under or inner runs move forwardly, toward the ball delivery location 118, to advance the ball in that direction.

The rollers may have small flanges 40 at their opposite ends, for retaining the belts in a manner preventing them from slipping axially off of the rollers.

Rollers 38 are suitably mounted in the positions represented in FIG. 3, as by means of individual mounting brackets 41, to which the rollers 38 are rotatably mounted by shafts 42. Brackets 41 may in turn be secured to mounting arms 43, which may be attached to upstanding stationary columns 44 located at opposite sides of the track structure 17, and which may be slightly resilient and positioned to yieldingly urge the belts into tight engagement with the ball at the locations of the rollers. Similarly, the forward rollers 39 (FIG. 4) may be mounted rotatably by shafts 45 to brackets 46, attached to arms 47 which may be slightly resilient and secured to stationary mounting columns 48 at opposite sides of structure 17. The shafts 45 of rollers 39 are rotatably driven in unison, at a com mon rate of speed, as by a motor 49 mounted at the upper end of one of the stationary columns 48. Motor 49 may drive a shaft 50, acting to in turn drive shafts 45 at a common rate of speed through two bevel gear drives or other angular type drives or transmissions 51. It will be apparent that shafts 45 turn in opposite directions, so that the ball engaging runs 52 of both of the belts 36 and 37 advance in a common direction, forwardly toward ball delivery location 118.

As the two belts 36 and 37 advance forwardly, from the FIG. 3 position to the FIG. 4 position, the belts twist progressively in a manner such that their points of engagement with the opposite sides of the ball, at the centers of the transverse width dimension of the belts, progressively advance downwardly along the sides of the ball toward the horizontal rolling axis 26. In FIG. 3, belts 36 and 37 engage the opposite sides of the ball at locations 53 near the previously mentioned central vertical axis 24 of the ball, so that the effective rolling radius of the ball with respect to belts 36 and 37 is the dimension C of FIG. 3. By the time the belts reach the FIG. 4 location, they are in engagement with the ball at points 54, at which the effective rolling radius of the ball with respect to the belts is the small dimension labeled E in FIG. 4. This dimension E is preferably not more than about one-third of the radius R of the ball. Between the FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 positions, the points of engagement between the ball and belts progressively advance between the locations 53 and 54, so that the effective rolling radius of the ball with respect to the belts progressively decreases from the dimension C to the dimension E.

The rear end portions of belts 36 and 37 preferably terminate rearwardly at a location spaced a short distance forwardly of pick-up location 16 at which ball 22 initially falls onto the rear ends of tracks 23. In order to then advance the ball forwardly fromlocation 16 into engagement with the undersides of the rear portions of belts 36 and 37, the rearmost portions 55 of tracks 23 (see FIG. 9) may be inclined slightly downwardly, as they advance forwardly, so that the ball rolls downwardly along the portions 55 of the tracks and into engagement with the rear ends of the belts.

The two belts 36 and 37 are of course mirror images of one another, so that the effect of each of the belts in tend ing to advance the ball forwardly is identical with the elfect of the other belt. The axes of rotation of shafts 42 and 45 of the belt mounting rollers are so positioned that the rollers and the engaged portions of the belts are substantially tangent to the ball at the locations of the rollers, and for this reason shafts 45 preferably extend in more vertical directions, while shafts 42 preferably extend more horizontally. t

In now describing the manner of operation of the ball delivery apparatus shown in the drawing, assume that a ball 22 has been rolled down the alley 10, and has then rolled laterally along surface 18 through opening 21 in wall 20, to fall onto the rear portions 55 of tracks 53. The ball then rolls forwardly a short distance along these portions 55 of the tracks, by virtue of theiridownward inclination, until the ball reaches the location of FIG. 3, at which the upper surface of the ball comesinto contact with the undersurfaces of belts 33 and 37 at the locations of rollers 38. These belts are being driven rapidly and continuously in a manner such that their lower runs 52 then act to frictionally drive the ball forwardly, along tracks 23, with the ball rolling relative to the tracks, and with the ball also engaging the belts in a rolling type of contact. The belts continue this forward driving motion of the ball until the ball reaches the FIG. 4 location, at which the ball leaves the belts, and continues forwardly toward delivery location 118. Since the elfective rolling radius C of the ball at the FIG. 3 location is relatively great, a predetermined rate of advancement of the belt will at this point roll the ball relatively slowly. However, as the belts progressively'advance downwardly along the sides of the ball, toward the FIG. 4 positions, the effective rolling radius of the ball relative to the belts decreases, so that the ball is driven about its axis 26 more rapidly, to progressively accelerate the ball along tracks 23 to the FIG. 4 position.

Just beyond the FIG. 4 position (or in advance of the FIG. 4 position if preferred), the tracks 23 commence to converge toward oneanother, as discussed previously, so that the rolling radius of the ball with respect to the tracks then commences to increase from the radius 27 of FIGS. 3 and 4 to the increased radius 30 of FIG. 5. This increase of rolling radius again has the effect of accelerating the rate of forward translation or rolling movement of the ball along the tracks, and in eifect converts some of the is slowed by advancement upwardly along the inclined hill section 32 of the track structure, and by retarder 31, so that the ball may be picked up by the bowler for use again.

To enable belts 36 and 37 to drive ball 22 in the discussed manner, these belts are formed of relatively high friction material, having a sufficiently high coefiicient of friction with respect to the material of ball 22 to positively drive the ball and prevent slippage of the belts with respect thereto. For example, the belts may be formed of leather, rubber, or a suitably high friction resinous plastic such as neoprene.

I claim:

1. Ball delivery apparatus comprising a track structure for supporting a ball as it rolls along a predetermined path toward a delivery location, and power operated drive means positioned to engage said ball and roll it along said path and said track structure, said drive means being positioned and constructed to engage the ball at a localized area which progressively advances downwardly relative to the ball and its rolling axis as the ball advances in the direction of said path to thereby accelerate the ball, and means mounting said drive means at a location to engage the ball at said downwardly advancing area.

2. Ball delivery apparatus comprising a track structure for supporting a ball as it rolls along a predetermined path toward a delivery location, and a power driven endless member advancing in generally the direction of said path and adapted to engage said ball and cause its rolling advancement along said path and track structure, said endless member being positioned and constructed to engage the ball at a localized area which progressively advances downwardly relative to the ball and its rolling axis as the endless member advances in the direction of said path to thereby progressively accelerate the ball, and means mounting said endless member at a location to engage the ball at said downwardly advancing area.

3. Ball delivery apparatus comprising a track structure for supporting a ball as it rolls along a predtermined path toward a delivery location, and two power driven endless members advancing in generally the direction of said path and adapted to engage said ball and cause its rolling advancement along said path and track structure, said endless members being positioned and constructed to engage the ball at opposite sides respectively of the ball at two localized areas which progressively advance downwardly relative to the ball and its rolling axis as the endless members advance in the direction of said path to thereby progressively accelerate the ball, and means mounting said endless members at locations to engage the ball at said downwardly advancing areas.

4-. Ball delivery apparatus comprising a track structure forsupporting a ball as it rolls along a predetermined path toward a delivery location, said track structure including two spaced rails supporting the ball and engaged in rolling contact by corresponding portions at opposite sides of the ball as it rolls along the rails, and two power driven endless members advancing in generally the direction of said path and adapted to engage said ball and cause its rolling advancement along said path and track structure, said endless members being positioned and constructed to engage the ball at opposite sides respectively of the ball at two localized areas which progressively advance downwardly relative to the ball and its rolling axis as the endless members advance in the direction of said path to thereby progressively accelerate the ball, and means mounting said endless members at locations to engage the ball at said downwardly advancing areas.

5. Ball delivery apparatus comprising a track structure for supporting a ball as it rolls along a predetermined path toward a delivery location, said track structure ineluding two spaced rails supporting the ball and engaged in rolling contact by corresponding portions at opposite sides of the ball as it rolls along the rails, and two power driven endless members advancing in generally the direc tion of said path and adapted to engage said ball and cause its rolling advancement along said path and track structure, said endless members being positioned and constructed to engage the ball at opposite sides respectively of the ball at two localized areas which progressively advance downwardly relative to the ball and its rolling axis as the endless members advance in the direction of said path to thereby progressively accelerate the ball, and means mounting said endless members at locations to engage the ball at said downwardly advancing areas, said two rails of the track structure having ball engaging por tions which progressively advance laterally toward one another to reduce the lateral spacing therebetween as the ball rolls along the rails and thereby further accelerate the ball.

6. Ball delivery apparatus comprising a track structure for supporting a ball as it rolls along a predetermined path toward a delivery location, said track structure including two spaced rails supporting the ball and engaged in rolling contact by corresponding portions at opposite sides of the ball as it rolls along the rails, and two power driven endless members advancing in generally the direction of said path and adapted to engage said ball and cause its rolling advancement along said path and track structure, said endless members being positioned and constructed to engage the ball at opposite sides respectively of the ball at two localized areas which progressively advance downwardly relative to the ball and its rolling axis as the endless members advance in the direction of said path to thereby progressively accelerate the ball, and means mounting said endless members at locations to engage the ball at said downwardly advancing areas, said two rails of the track structure having ball engaging portions beyond said endless members which progressively advance laterally toward one another to reduce the lateral spacing therebetween as the ball rolls along the rails and thereby further accelerate the ball.

7. Ball delivery apparatus comprising a track structure for supporting a ball as it rolls along a predetermined path toward a delivery location, said track structure including two spaced rails supporting the ball and engaged in rolling contact by corresponding portions at opposite sides of the ball as it rolls along the rails, and two power driven endless members advancing in generally the direction of said path and adapted to engage said ball and cause its rolling advancement along said path and track structure, said endless members being positioned and constructed to engage the ball at opposite sides respectively of the ball at two localized areas which progressively advance downwardly relative to the ball and its rolling axis as the endless members advance in the direction of said path to thereby progressively accelerate the ball, and means mounting said endless members at locations to engage the ball at said downwardly advancing areas, said two rails of the track structure having ball engaging portions beyond said endless members which first progressively advance laterally toward one another to reduce the lateral spacing therebetween as the ball rolls along the rails and thereby further accelerate the ball, and which then extend substantially parallel.

8. Ball delivery apparatus comprising a track structure for supporting a ball as it rolls along a predetermined path toward a delivery location, and two power driven endless belts advancing in generally the direction of said path and adaptedto engage said ball and cause its rolling advancement along said path and track structure, said endless belts being positioned and constructed to engage the ball at opposite sides respectively of the ball at two localized areas which progressively advance downwardly relative to the ball and its rolling axis as the endless belts advance in the direction of said path to thereby progressively accelerate the ball, and means mounting said endless belts at locations to engage the ball at said downwardly advancing areas, said mounting means including first rollers mounting first ends of said belts and turning about relatively horizontal axes, and second and lower rollers mounting second ends of the belts and turning about more vertical axes to twist the belts as they advance between said first and second rollers for engagement with lower portions of the ball.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,987,000 1/35 Cahill 273-49 2,343,521 3/44 Benning l98-165 2,682,407 6/54 Huck 273-49 2,776,528 1/57 Niederer et al 198-165 XR 3,018,104 1/62 Gautraud 2'7349 DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner., 

1. BALL DELIVERY APPARATUS COMPRISING A TRACK STRUCTURE FOR SUPPORTING A BALL AS IT ROLLS ALONG A PREDETERMINED PATH TOWARD A DELIVERY LOCATION, AND POWER OPERATED DRIVE MEANS POSITIONED TO ENGAGE SAID BALL AND ROLL IT ALONG SAID PATH AND SAID TRACK STRUCTURE, SAID DRIVE MEANS BEING POSITIONED AND CONSTRUCTED TO ENGAGE THE BALL AT A LOCALIZED AREA WHICH PROGRESSIVELY ADVANCES DOWNWARDLY RELATIVE TO THE BALL AND ITS ROLLING AXIS AS THE BALL ADVANCES IN THE DIRECTION OF SAID PATH TO THEREBY ACCELERATE THE BALL, AND MEANS MOUNTING SAID DRIVE MEANS AT A LOCATION TO ENGAGE THE BALL AT SAID DOWNWARDLY ADVANCING AREA. 